Chapter 2: Questions and answers
I felt strange, nothing hurt and nothing mattered. It seemed all too nice to be true. I felt as if I had nothing to worry about any more, like all my worries had been wiped away in one second. I felt free, really free. Not just the freedom of going wherever I wanted to, but I felt free of everything.
Then I remembered what had happened, what I tried to do. I had jumped between Jack and Will, trying to safe him. I owed him a life and I couldn't see him die again, not because of me. I wondered where the hell I was and shyly opened one eye. I saw nothing at first. Is this death? Well, if it is, is this suppose to be heaven or hell or something in between?? I didn't know. Then everything came clear into view. I was sitting in a small boat, floating on a sea of stars. It was beautiful and somehow familiar. There was no line between the water and the sky, no horizon, but a small wind pulling softly at my hair. There were other boats around me. In each of them sat one or even more persons, some who I knew, some I didn't know. I spotted Gibbs in one boat on my left, he stared out towards where the horizon should have been and didn't see me. Then I saw two other familiar faces, Ragetti and Pintel. They also stared ahead. I followed their eyes but didn't see anything. Then I recognized this place. I was at world's end. But I could feel something, it wasn't worry but it was something else, hope maybe. I was hoping I saved Jack. I couldn't have let him die. But can dead people feel? I always believed otherwise. Although I thought no one could hear me, I whispered something so quiet, I could hardly hear myself speaking: "Am I dead?" But someone did hear me. "I guess so, looks like it, luv." I spun around and saw Jack sitting in the boat next to me. How couldn't I have not seen him earlier? Then I realized I hadn't been able to save him, I failed. "Oh Jack, I'm sorry. I tried..." He just smiled at me, looking puzzled. "..to save you", I finished close to tears. "Ah so that's what ye tried to do, he? I couldn't believe me eyes, you jumping between me and Will, what were ye thinking, ye daft lass?", he said. I looked away. Alright, of course he is a little mad at me, after all I just gave my life to save his, I guess he thinks it wasn't worth it.
"I owed you a life Jack, I had to do something." "Year, like running away and hiding somewhere safe", he said looking me in the eyes. "I'm sorry", I sobbed but looked away again trying to hide my tears. So, that's another strange thing, I was able to cry in heaven, if I am in heaven...
"Don't cry, luv. There's no need, what happened happened." He stroke my back and I lifted my head to look at him. "I thought I was doing the right thing, you know. I didn't want you to die again." Jack gave me an understanding smile and said: "Year but I didn't want ye to die in me arms, darling." I hadn't thought about that, and now I was feeling even more miserable than before. This is definitely not heaven, I decided. "I ..haven't thought...about that", I admitted. Jack just put one hand on my shoulder and sighed. But there was something else I needed to ask him. "So I guess I couldn't safe you then." "Well, ye have. The bullet hit ye and not me. At least the first one did. Will shot me after killing you", he added sadly. "So I guess this is the end then. I mean it's over?" Jack looked worried but I had no idea what exacly he was worried about. "I suppose so." "but what happens now?", I asked getting worried as well. "I dunno luv." Well, listening to Jack saying he doesn't know is kind of strange because either he did know or he made you believe he knew, but he never admitted that he doesn't know something. "What d'you mean, you have been here before." "No I haven't. I've been in the locker. And I guess it can't be worse than that. I mean, at least I've got nice company", he grinned at me. I looked around and my eyes fell on Gibbs who was still staring at something far away in the distance. "Gibbs is here as well and the two other idiots over there", I pointed at Ragetti and Pintel. Jack sighed. "I've noticed." Then some of the boats begun to move in different directions, away from us. "Look!", I told Jack. "They're going somewhere else." Jack and I watched the others disappear and it was then we noticed that our surroundings had changed. The star-filled water became blue and I could finally see the horizon. It looked more and more like the Caribbean sea, I loved so much. "Can you see what I see?", I asked carefully. "If ye see the bloody Caribbean, then aye I think I do.", he answered confused. Then I small island appeared on the horizon and grew bigger and bigger as we came closer. "I can see an island." Jack looked at me. "Ye know, considering that we both happen tae be dead, can I ask ye something?", he said very carefully, not at all sounding like Jack. "Sure", I simply replied. "Did ye really mean what ye told me, that day, ye killed me? Ye said that ye weren't sorry." I knew too well what he meant and I guess it was time for some answers. "No I didn't. I wanted myself to believe that I wasn't. I'm so sorry Jack. Can you forgive me?" He looked away. I knew I had hurt him terribly but I hoped he could find it in his heart to forgive me. "Aye, I do forgive ye luv." I didn't know why but I put my arms around his neck and hugged him. "Alright Lizzy, ye don't have tae strangle me." I giggled softly. "Do you know where we're going, I mean where could we possibly go?", I asked. "I guess you go to heaven, for saving me pathetic excuse of a life and I...well I dunno." Then I shook my head. "Oh no you won't be going anywhere else, you know why?" "Do tell me." "Because it wouldn't be heaven without you there.", I simply said, hoping he wouldn't get any ideas, you never know with Jack. But he just grinned at me and I had to look away not to blush.
Then he suddenly shouted: "Bloody hell! Look at that bloody island. Ye know which island that is, luv?" I followed his eyes and knew immediately what he meant. "But that's the island Barbossa had marooned us"I said. "Exacly!", he shouted. "And this is suppose tae be heaven?? I think I'm in hell!", he finished. I shook my head. "No Jack, it's not hell. Well, for me it isn't. It's the one place I got to know you, remember?" By the look on his face I could tell that he hadn't thought about that.
"Oh..", he just said.
It seemed like just a few minutes what should have been an hour at least but we finally arrived at the small island. I stepped onto the beach, the sun was shining on my face and the wind was playing with my hair. Jack followed me and said: "Well, if this is heaven there should be rum." And he ran off to look of it. I walked around on the soft sand and sighed. "I can't believe I'm dead."
"I'm sorry but you are my darling." It wasn't Jack. It was a woman's voice. I spun around and saw a young woman standing in front of me. She had the same blonde hair and the same golden eyes as I have. "Who are you?" I asked. The woman smiled and it was a very warm smile. Something about that woman made me feel at home. "Who have you become?", she answered my question with a question, something I preferred doing. "I'm Eliza..", but I was interrupted by Jack coming towards me. "This must be heaven, I found rum!", he grinned. I just smiled at him. Then he said: "Who is that?" "I don't know yet." I turned back to the friendly woman. "I'm Eliza...", but again I was interrupted by Jack. "Captain Elizabeth Turner, Pirate lord of Singapore and King of the Brethren."
Hearing Jack calling me a Captain was rather nice. "Captain?", he woman smiled. "Really nice. So you're a pirate then. I thought so. Well, I'm really proud of ye Elizabeth. You never waisted your life, you did what you wanted to do. I'm so proud." I was still wondering why on hearth a strange woman should be proud of me, but I wasn't on earth any more, was I? "I'm your mother."
"Heaven??", I thought. "Was this really heaven?" I sat on the sand with me bottle of rum, watching Lizzy and her mother talking about anything and everything. I had everything I needed. I had me rum, Elizabeth and my Pearl, that was just floating off shore. I really was in heaven. But something still bothered me. I wanted answers. Lizzy was talking to her mother, so why couldn't I? But I guess I didn't have to wait long, for this is heaven and it should all fall on my plate when I need it. So I closed me eyes and lay on the sand in the shadow of a big palm tree.
I was thinking about my life, how hard I tired to survive not realizing that this is much better than living. I was finally free. Then someone tapped me on me nose. I opened one eye and looked straight into a pair of bright brown eyes, but they were darken than Lizzy's. I sat up and I noticed a woman with dark brown hair grinning at me. "Well, well Jackie, you've turned pirate yeself then, well like father like son, I guess." I must have looked puzzled because the woman laughed kindly at me. "And who exacly are ye ?", I asked. The woman sat down next to me in the sand and smiled at me as if we've known each other for many years. Then I realized something, this could be my mother. I never met her, because she died when I was very young. "Are ye..?", I hesitated. Could this really..?? "Aye, I'm ye mum, Jackie." I smiled, then after some moments of silence I hugged her tight and did something I've never done before, I whispered: "I've really missed ye mum." She hugged me back then leaned back against the palm tree and said: "Well, Jackie, I see ye followed ye father's footsteps then. I expected no less, actually. I can say, I really am proud of ye. How did ye do?" I looked at my mum, I realized how much I actually missed and love her. I grinned and she smiled back at me, pointing one finger to me mouth. "Ah...I see ye've been in trouble quite a few times then, nice golden teeth." I just smiled to answer her. "I've been alright. Sometimes I had a misunderstanding with some people, but I've had me fun, I guess." She laughed at that. "Year, so I know. I believe ye don't know how many lassies ye knew, he?", she said with a friendly smile across her face. I had to grin at this. Then I looked over to where Elizabeth and her mother where sitting. They laughed about something as Elizabeth looked over to me . She noticed I was looking, she blushed and turned away. I just smiled at her. "I know ye like lassies Jackie but I would have never believed that ye would fall for one, some day." My face snapped back to my mum. "I don't love her, if that's what ye mean.", I claimed, but not convinced she would believe me. "I know ye, luv and trust yer mother when she tells ye that ye love that lass over there." I didn't want this, I couldn't sleep at nights because of this and during the day I couldn't take me mind off her. "I ...maybe ye right. Ok I admit it...I bloody love her a lot..happy now?", I nearly snapped. My mum shook her head. "Pride!", she said. "Stop it Jackie-darling otherwise ye get hurt." I was confused. "Stop what exacly?" "Being so sure of yeself. Ye need tae tell her." I figured I had no change in winning this so I gave up. "But I can't. I've never loved someone before, how can I know what tae do, I don't even know if she thinks said things about me." I surprised meself how honest I was. "Just don't hide away. Ye've got a big heart, darling. Don't lock it away Jackie!"
"Jackie??And what shouldn't you lock away?" I jumped up and looked behind me, straight at Elizabeth's beautiful face. "Jackie..", she repeated with a smirk. "Very funny, luv." Then my mother turned to me and said: "Well, I believe I should go and see how Lianne is doing. Since she's family now, I guess we have some catching up to do..ta." I watched my mum walking away with Elizabeth's mum and then I realized what she meant with family, I quickly turned away. "Ye alright, Jackie-darling?", Elizabeth smiled at me. "Don't push it luv."
We've sat on the sand now for about some hours but amazingly time had no value any more. I cleared my throat and looked at Lizzy. "eh...we're trapped here now..so we need tae find something we can do otherwise I fear 'for ever' will get a bit boring some day", I smiled gently. "Year maybe you're right Jackie..", she said. "ye can call me whatever ye want darling but please not when our mums are watching." She smiled at this, although I had no idea why. "Oh Jack, they're not even close." I turned my head towards the water. "Still I feel watched."
